Hi ALL,
Well, the idea of "smelly ones" hit me where it hurts...laughing.
This last summer, while my wife and I were in Alaska, going from Ketchikan
to Juneau, we had to go through X-RAY. Now, normally that's a pretty
simple thing to do, but not on that day. We had just spent 4 days
collecting in Ketchikan, with Scott Walker (Alaska Fish & Game & a
super-great guy) so we had lots of specimens to transport. Well, we packed
the bivalve and larger gastropods that had been cleaned or found dead, but
we had a couple of jars with "alcoholed small uncleaned gastropods". As we
went through the X-RAY machine, the fancily dressed X-RAY technician asked
what was in the jars in the box. Being an honest sort, I replied, "Shells
in alcohol." Unfortunately for her, she didn't believe me and proceded to
open the box in a box, in a box to find the jar with the alcoholed shells.
Being curious and non-trusting, as an "AIRPORT OFFICIAL", she proceded to
open the bottle, which had been tightly closed and sealed, and when she put
her greatest force to the task, the bottle snapped open and spilled on her
"Fancy clothes". "What is this smelly stuff in the bottle?", she asked.
"Exactly what I told you, smelly old dead seashells in alcohol."
Well, the poor untrusting technician left in a huff, leaving her
post to several collegues, who were in tears, laughing. "I have to go take
a shower and change my clothes." were her last remarks, as she scooted
through the small enclosed terminal at Ketchikan.
Well, you should always trust a shell collector when he/she tells
you, "Smelly shells in alcohol".
Dan Yoshimoto "Smelly shell collector who collects smelly shells"
>Re, smelly ones.
>
>How do you find customs at airports, etc, are with the smelly shells?
>Last time I came back from Mexico, via LA, my bags were searched and
>the lady in customs was rather annoyed with me. Have you ever had them
>confiscated for such reasons? Bringing dead smelly biological material
>over the border...
>
>
>
>>On trips, I always carry several sizes of zip-lock bags. Anything that
>>smells goes into one which goes into another and usually a third. That
>>keeps the smell from permeating youir trip. When I get home, I undo the
>>bags and the smell pours out and impregnates the carpet. But that's
>>alright---as an impregnated carpet often gives birth to two or three
>>throw rugs.
>> Anon
>>
>>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>Peter Egerton, Vancouver, Canada
>Collector of worldwide Mollusca
>http://www.intergate.bc.ca/personal/seashell/index.html
>-------------------------------------------------------
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Dan & Hiromi Yoshimoto
1164 Vista Dr.
Eureka, California
95503-6018
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
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